SBS aims to continue representing diversity and deliver thought-provoking content in 2017

SBS Director of Media Sales, Andrew Cook (left); Director of TV and Online Content, Marshall Heald (below left); and National Sales Manager TV and Digital Media, Adam Sadler (below right) were in town last week to preview another thought-provoking line-up on the network in 2017.

Over an excellent lunch at Ria Malay restaurant in Leederville, they outlined SBS’s broad mission of helping to make Australia a better society by delivering content based on five principles of being Fearless, Innovative, World Class, Inspiring and Entertaining.

Issues of social justice, racism and poverty figure prominently in the network’s reality and documentary programming, but there is also a strong slate of offbeat comedy, drama and light entertainment.

A big part of SBS’s plan to broaden its audience next year is the recently launched VICELAND channel (formerly SBS2), with programming aimed at the elsuive and hard-to-reach millennial audience.

The now common themes from television networks around data and measurement were front-and-centre, with Sadler saying SBS would deliver more research and insights in 2017, plus 100% guaranteed audience.

And in a major commitment, Cook announced $1 million worth of advertising across SBS properties would be up for grabs in the network’s Diversity Works Challenge. Clients will be invited to submit a script for a campaign based on the Diversity theme to win the prize. Entries will open on Australia Day – Thursday, January 26 – with the winner to be announced in April.